Another season comes to a close - my first one since retiring and as a consequence I got out a lot more especially in the autumn/winter though plans were somewhat thwarted by the high water levels in the rivers. Since I left work in June we have had 9 consecutive months of significantly above average rainfall. The springs of the Kennet 'broke' unusually early in mid-October (they typically start flowing late December/early January) and as a consequence many venues have been inaccessible  let alone fishable. This did at least nudge me to seek out some new swims - with some success!

Best Carp 11lb 6oz. 25 September Free-lined bread flake - Willows Lake. As usual, I spent most of the summer trying NOT to catch carp in my pursuit of big tench. This was one of the few I caught deliberately on an evening the tincas didn't turn up.

Best Tench 6lb 8oz. 20 June. Lift method, prawn sections - Willows Lake. A good summer on the tench front with 13 fish over 5lb and this was the best of 3, 6lbers. Rumours of an 8lber coming out of a club water had me putting in a lot of effort for the species!

Best Chub 6lb 2oz. 9 February. Trotted maggot. River Kennet, Newbury -Whitehouse stretch. A venue I re-discovered as a result of trying to find bits of river I could actually get to in the floods! This particular swim became an instant favourite producing 3 chub over 5½lb in 3 of my first 4 visits to it. I wonder what it will fish like in normal levels! All in all though another great year for chub with 100 over 1lb for the 4th consecutive year, though average weights were down a little with 21 over 4lb of which 6 were over 5.

Best Bream 5lb 2oz. 16 June. Trotted maggot. River Kennet - Marsh Benham. The majority of my Bream were river caught (same as 22/23 season) and this opening day catch was the only one over 5lb.

Best Crucian 3lb 4oz. 10 August. Float fished prawn sections. Harris Lake, Marsh Farm Fishery, Milford. I only made 3 trips to Marsh Farm this summer - some quality tench fishing on club waters keeping me on 'home soil' - This super crucian however was a good reminder of why I make the effort - and was actually my biggest ever from Harris.

Best Perch 3lb 1oz. 21 November. Trotted maggot. River Kennet, Hambridge. For the 2nd season running my season's best perch comes from the river as opposed to the canal though the K&A did throw up a number of big 2s this season.

Best Grayling 2lb 6oz. 22 October. Trotted red sweetcorn. Lower Itchen. A feature this winter has been how well my local stretches of the River Lambourn have fished for Grayling. I've had over 70 1lb+ fish with quite a few 1½lb or better - including my first 2lber in 2 decades. My season's best however was this stroppy fish (twas a nightmare to try and photograph) from my only trip to the Itchen - my February trip being cancelled due to flooding.

Best Barbel 2lb 2oz. 11 July. Trotted maggot. River Kennet, Hambridge. Always good to see barbel these days whatever the size and whilst there have been a smattering of half decent barbel coming out this season to other anglers, my only contribution, whilst float caught, was much more modest.

Best Dace 1lb 1oz. 21 November. Trotted maggot. Kennet & Avon (flowing) canal, Thatcham. My best 'wow' moment of the season! A venue that has thrown up some big autumn dace in the past few years had me returning with the intention of trying to do just that again. Never expected anything of this calibre - my first 1lb+ dace since 04/05 season.